Spermatozoal antibodies in cervical mucus.

COELINGH BENNINK, H. J. T. and MENGE, A. C. (1974): Spermatozoa1 antibodies in cervical mucus. Europ. .I. Obstet. Gynec. reprod. Biol., 414, 147-l 52. The indirect immunofluorescent technique performed on spermatozoa provides a suitable method for detecting spermatozoa1 antibodies in cervical mucus. Blood sera and preovulatory cervical mucus samples from I3 women with infertility of unknown origin were tested extensively with this technique. Spermatozoa1 antibodies in cervical mucus were detected in 3 out of 13 patients. The specificity of these antibodies was shown to be IgA in two cases and IgG in the third case. One IgA antibody was also present in the blood serum of this particular patient, however in a low titer (1:4). Blood serum from the patient with an IgG antibody in cervical mucus contained the same antibody in a high titer (1:64). The results werecompared to the concentration of immunoglobulins in cervical mucus. In view of present knowledge our data are consistent with the following theories about circulating spermatozoa1 antibodies. IgA antibodies result from local immunization in the femalegenital tract and may leak to the general circulation. IgG and IgM antibodies result mainly from general immunization. IgG antibodies may diffuse to female genital tract secretions when present in a sufficiently high concentration. IgM antibodies are rarely found in the female reproductive tract.